Chef & Sommelier Open Up Tannic Wine Glass 55 Cl - 6 Pieces
Royal Leerdam Carre Wine Glass 28 Cl - 6 Pieces
Bormioli Rocco Uno Inalto Wine Glass 47 Cl - 6 Pieces
Lehmann Grand Blanc Wine Glass 54 Cl - 6 Pieces
By the stem, and why
Hold the stem between your thumb, index finger, and middle finger, just above the base. Your hand is about 37 degrees, and a glass of wine is 10 to 18. Holding the bowl warms the wine by a degree or two in just a few minutes, and you’ll notice it right away with white wine. Holding it by the stem keeps the wine at the right temperature and the bowl free of fingerprints, so you can see the color.
Sommeliers sometimes hold the glass by the base, with the thumb above and fingers below. This is for swirling and inspecting the wine, and isn’t necessary at home. Simply hold a tumbler or stemless water glass by the body.
Swirling and toasting
Swirl the glass on the table: hold the stem and make small circles, so the wine stays inside. That’s easy with a 50 cl glass containing 12 cl of wine, but not with a full glass, so don’t pour too much. Read about how full to fill it in our article about wine glasses.
When you toast, clink the body of the glass, the widest and strongest part, not the rim. The rim is the thinnest part of the glass and breaks first. Two thin crystal glasses often won’t survive clinking rim to rim. A light tap is enough.
How to carry and set down a glass
Carrying a full glass across a room: hold it by the stem, between your fingers, and watch where you’re going. Carry two glasses, one in each hand. Carry more on a tray, never with your fingers inside the bowls, since that’s where your mouth will go. Set a glass down on its base, not tilted on its rim, and not on the edge of the table.
Glasses with long stems are more delicate. Hold them by the bowl, not the base, when washing them, because the stem breaks at its thinnest point if you put pressure on it. Read our article about glasses in the dishwasher.
The right glass
The Chef & Sommelier Open Up Universal has a sturdy stem and an angular bowl that feels comfortable in the hand. Spiegelau's Definition holds 55 cl and has a long, slender stem for those who prefer a classic shape. Find all the ranges in the wine glasses collection.
Chef & Sommelier Open Up Universal Wine Glass 40 cl (6 pieces)
Spiegelau Definition Wine Glass 55 cl (6 pieces)
Good to know
Is a stemless wine glass wrong, then?
No, it's a matter of choice. Your hand warms the wine and leaves fingerprints on the glass, but it's less likely to tip over. That's a good trade-off for a patio or boat.
How do you hold a champagne glass?
By the stem, too. Champagne is cold and a flute is thin, so you shouldn't wrap your hand around the bowl. Read more in our article about the champagne glass.
How do you hold a cognac glass?
That's the exception: you deliberately hold a cognac glass or snifter by the bowl because you want to warm the drink. Read more in our article about the tasting glass.
Frequently asked questions
How should you hold a wine glass?
By the stem, between your thumb and two fingers, just above the base. That way, your hand won't warm the wine and the bowl stays clean. Browse our wine glasses.
Why do you hold a wine glass by the stem?
Because your 37-degree hand warms the wine in just a few minutes, and fingerprints on the bowl obscure your view of the wine.
How do you toast without breaking the glass?
By the bowl, lightly, and never by the rim. The rim is the thinnest part.
Everything for your table,
to one address
Hospitality-quality wine glasses, sold in sets. Order today, delivered quickly.
Shop wine glasses →
